Pioneers take two in meet

From staff reports

Watauga’s track and field teams got off to a fast start this season after sweeping McDowell and Avery Wednesday at Jack Groce Stadium.

The boys’ team slipped past McDowell by scoring 79 points, less than two more than the Titans’ 77.5 points.

Avery was third with 22.5. Watauga’s girls were more dominant by winning with 110 points. McDowell was second with 41 points and Avery third with five.

Watauga’s girls had eight individuals win events and also grabbed two first places in relays. As it’s been in the recent past, Watauga was strong in the jumping and pole vault events. Kristina Tracy won the triple jump and the long jump, while Sydney Cook and Tara Trivette tied for first in the high jump.

Taylor Cook won the pole vault, while Sydney Cook was second. Laura Gulliver was also second in the triple jump, third in the pole vault and fourth in the high jump, while Tracy was fourth in the pole vault. Kasey Jones was third in the high jump.

In the sprints, Jones was second in the 100-meter dash, while Trivette won the 200.

Laiken Williams was third in the 100 and Ryann Jones was fourth in the event. Kenyon Hall was first in the 100-meter hurdles and Hannah Barbour won both the 400-meter dash and the 800-meter run. Hailey Middlebrooks was second in the 800, Molly Ruble was third and Aiden Berry fourth in the race.

Kayla Schneider won the 3,200 meter run, while Kelsey Gustaveson was second in the event.

Ruble led a 1-2-3 finish for the Pioneers by winning the 1,600-meter run. Ingrid Forsyth was second and Emma Seagle was third in the event.

Watauga’s 400-meter relay team and its 1,600-relay team both finished in first place.

In the throwing events, Kathryn Smith was second in the shot put and third in the discus.

In the boys’ meet, Gabby Romano was first in the discus and second place in the shot put. Jordan Pineda won the shop put and placed second in the discus. Reid Harris won the pole vault, Michael Neff was third in the long jump and Dwayne Hodges was fourth in the shot put. Derek Calhoun was also fourth in the high jump and triple jump.

In running events, Daniel Osborne won the 800-meter run, while Andrew Vandenberg won the 1,600 and Justin Martin placed first in the 3,200-meter run. Clark Brackney was second in the 1,600, while Jamison Slate was third in the event. Thomas McDonough was second in the 400-meter dash and in the 800-meter run.

Scott Mermel was second in the 200-meter dash and Ryan McGuire was third in the race. Thomas Holden was second in the 300-meter hurdles and Austin Jacobs was fourth in the event. He also took fourth in the 110-meter hurdles, and Harris was fourth in the 100-meter dash.